Aliphatic dioic acids, alcohols and compounds having combinations of alcohols and acids are versatile chemical intermediates useful as raw materials for the preparation of adhesives, fragrances, polyamides, polyesters, and antimicrobials. While chemical routes for the synthesis of long-chain α,ω-dicarboxylic acids are available, the synthesis is complicated and results in mixtures containing dicarboxylic acids of shorter chain lengths. As a result, extensive purification steps are necessary. Chemical synthesis is the preferred route of synthesis for these compounds today.
Picataggio reports conversion of the dodecane (a C12 linear alkane) and tetradecane (a C14 linear alkane) or their corresponding fatty acids (dodecanoate, tetradecanoate) into their corresponding α,ω-diacarboxylic acids using the yeast Candida tropicalis (see, e.g., Picataggio, et al., Biotechnology 10:894-898, 1992). The method described is greatly disadvantaged by its reliance upon exogenous addition of C12 or C14 alkane, or C12 or C14 fatty acid; moreover, the method is disadvantaged by the inability of Candida to convert other, non C12 or C14, fatty acid and alkane substrates into corresponding diacids. Thus, a method for the endogenous production of fatty acid substrates of desired chain length and subsequent omega oxidation of the substrates, producing the corresponding ω-hydroxy fatty acid or α,ω-dicarboxylic acid, would provide an economical, competitive route to valuable α,ω-dicarboxylic acids, ω-hydroxy fatty acids, diamines, etc that has no precedence.
Thus, there remains a need for methods and materials for biocatalytic conversion of feedstock chemicals into their corresponding ω-hydroxy fatty acids and α,ω-diacarboxylic acids, methods for producing the ω-hydroxy fatty acid and α,ω-diacarboxylic acid in a fermentation broth, methods for controlling the ω-hydroxy fatty acid or α,ω-diacarboxylic acid or fatty acid chain length, methods for secreting or retaining the product from/in the cells, and methods for purifying the product from the culture broth. The present invention meets these needs.